Seven Vegan Celebrities Who Now Eat Animals

For a while, everyone and their mother were saying no to meat and dairy—you can thank Michael Pollan, Mark Bittman, and maybe the invention of Coconut Bliss for helping to turn veganism from a fringe movement to a trendy diet among celebrities and hipsters. Of course, science has also been on the side of eating fewer animal products: Compared to the average omnivorous way of eating, plant-based diets tend to be higher in fiber and antioxidants and lower in unhealthy fats, not to mention significantly better for the environment.

Yet there are some drawbacks to being vegan, such as zombie-like energy levels and major difficulty getting enough protein without a degree in plant biology. That's why some former veg heads have said goodbye to a strict diet of tofu and veggies—and hello to eating lean protein, eggs, and even the occasional buttery pastry. Here, why seven high-profile former vegans gave up the ethic for animal foods:

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1. Bill Clinton

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A few years after President Clinton underwent a quadruple bypass in 2004, he ended his relationship with animal products, helping him to lose more than 20 pounds. Yet in a recent New York Times article, Clinton's doctor, Mark Hyman, admitted that the former president does occasionally indulge in fish and other lean proteins. "It's hard being a vegan to eat enough good, quality protein and not have too much starch," Hyman told the Times. "I know a lot of fat vegans."

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2. Natalie Portman

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Portman adopted a plant-based diet in 2009 after reading Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals. But two years later, intense pregnancy cravings drove her to go back to eating eggs and dairy back. "If you're not eating eggs, then you can't have cookies or cake from regular bakeries, which can become a problem when that's all you want to eat," she said during an interview with an Atlanta-based radio station.

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3. Carrie Underwood

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It's hard enough to find healthy fare when you're traveling. Add vegan to your list of dietary requirements, and your options might amount to a sad garden salad or an apple with peanut butter. That's why the country star, who's frequently on tour, ditched her vegan diet after announcing her pregnancy in late 2014.

"Now I'm pregnant, it's like, I can't just order steamed broccoli. That's not going to cut it," Underwood told Entertainment Tonight. She's giving dairy the green light for now, but says that after giving birth, she'll go back to being vegan.

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4. Anne Hathaway

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Swimming with 40 extra pounds slapped onto your body would be tough for almost anyone. But for Hathaway, who had to don a heavy space suit while filming a water scene for Interstellar, being vegan made the grueling experience even more difficult. "I just didn't feel good, not healthy or strong," she told Harper's Bazaar. To get her strength back, she experimented with a Paleo-style diet that included plenty of fish and poultry. The shift back to animal protein immediately gave her more energy, prompting her to end her relationship with veganism for good.

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5. Bob Harper

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Like Hathaway, Harper felt that veganism was making him sluggish—and noticed a swift improvement after adopting a higher protein Paleo diet. But the switch wasn't an easy one for the personal trainer, who told the Los Angeles Times, "In the beginning, I was quietly eating my egg whites in the morning. Oh my God, I felt so bad. I just couldn't help it. I just couldn't hide it anymore."

A successful vegan chef in her own right, Jamieson authored both Living Vegan for Dummies and Vegan Cooking for Dummies. But in 2013, she announced on her blog that her plant-based diet was no more. After a year of secretly craving meat and fish, she realized that she had developed an eating disorder and started experimenting with animal protein. Now, she says that trusting her body—whatever it wants to eat—is OK with her.

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7. Ellen DeGeneres

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The comedian and talk show host has been an outspoken vegan for years. She's loved by PETA, and at some point, even had a page on her website devoted to helping others adopt a plant-based diet. (Now, vegan.ellen.warnerbros.com just redirects to her main website, ellentv.com.)

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